The present invention relates to a spout assembly for a liquid container, and more particularly, to a spout assembly for a liquid container that is designed to (a) easily dispense liquid beverages contained in the container into another container such as a cup, (b) enable easy and convenient drinking of the liquid beverages contained in the container, and (c) be secured to a top surface of the container in parallel with the same so as to save space when the containers to which the spout assemblies are applied are packaged in a box, etc. for distribution.
Generally, a liquid container with a spout assembly is designed such that it is vertically projected out of a top surface of the container. This makes it ill Impossible to stack the liquid containers in a multi-layer configuration. Even if such multi-layer stacking is possible, the containers occupy much space because of the projected spout assembly.
In addition, the liquid container with the spout assembly is sealed and the spout assembly comprises an elongated tube extending to the interior of the liquid container so that the user can draw the liquid contained the container through the elongated tube in the manner that a straw is used. Such a structure is unfavorable for dispensing the liquid contained in the container into a cup. That is, the liquid in the container is incompletely discharged from the container because the spout has the elongated tube structure extending far into the interior of the container, thereby enabling access to only a portion of the liquid in the container.
Therefore, the present invention has been made in an effort to solve the above-described problems.
It is a first objective of the present invention to provide a spout assembly for a liquid container, which is flexible between at least a first position where the spout assembly can be vertically erected on a top surface of the container or a container cap and a second position where the spout assembly can be secured on a top surface of the container in parallel with the same so that the liquid containers to which the spout assemblies are employed can be stacked on one another, thereby saving space.
It is a second objective of the present invention to provide a spout assembly for a liquid container, which is designed to easily dispense the liquid beverage contained in the container into another container such as a cup, and to enable the easy and convenient drinking of the liquid beverage contained in the container.
To achieve the first objective, the present invention provides a spout assembly for a liquid container, which comprises a tube-shaped main body formed on a container cap and projected upward by a predetermined length, an operating tube inserted into the tube-shaped main body and extending into a container by a predetermined length, a spout seal cap fitted on an upper portion of the tube-shaped main body, and means for moving the tube-shaped main body and the operating tube between a first position where the main body and the operating tube can be vertically erected on a surface of the container cap and a second position where the main body and the operating tube can be secured parallel to the surface of the container cap.
Preferably, the means for moving comprises a first pleated expansible and flexible part provided on the main body and a second pleated expansible and flexible part provided on the operating tube to correspond to the first pleated expansible and flexible part.
Preferably, the tube-shaped main body is provided with an assembling flange at it lower end, the assembling flange being assembled on the container cap around an opening formed on the container cap. The assembling flange is attached on one of inner and outer surfaces of the container cap.
The spout seal cap comprises a seal wall close-tightly contacting an upper outer wall of the tube-shaped main body and an inner thread formed below the seal wall and engaged with an outer thread formed on the tube-shaped main body. The spout seal cap further comprises an opening identification skirt formed below the inner thread and engaged under an outer circumference protrusion formed on the main body below the outer thread.
To achieve the second objective, the operating tube is provided with a through hole and the main body is provided with a through hole closing wall, the through hole selectively communicating with an interior of the container or being closed by the through hole closing wall according to a vertical movement of the operating tube.
Preferably, the operating tube is further provided with a stopper protrusion formed below the through hole, the stopper protrusion preventing the operating tube from being completely removed from the container and allowing the through hole to be exactly located and closed by the through hole closing wall of the main body when the operating tube is pulled out of the container.
Further preferably, the operating tube is further provided with an elongated air introducing slot extending from a portion above the upper end of the main body to a portion below the stopper protrusion.